Pipe wrench



Z. G. RICHARDSON.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2. I92

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

INVENTOR.

ZACHARY C. RICHARDSON, OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.

PIPE WRENCH.

LdilQfZflS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentad Apr. Jill, 1922.

Application filed August 2, 1921. Serial No. 489,176.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ZAOHARY C. RICHARD- SON,a citizen of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parishof East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Pipe Wrenches, of whichthe following is aspecification.

This invention relates to pipe tongs or chain wrenches and moreparticularly to an implement so constructed that in its use the pressurewill be more equally divided at various points around a pipe therebyreducing the danger of crushing the same, yet allowing greater leverage.

One of the objects of the invention resides in the construction of anovel and improved pipe wrench wherein the links of the flexible chainare provided with a plurality of serrated or toothed gripping lugs whichbite and prevent slipping of the chain about the same.

A still further object of the invention resides in a pipe wrench of theclass above set forth wherein the end of the handle or operating leveris free to engage different links of the flexible chain, being pivotallyconnected to a supporting or compensating beam whereby the chain may bereleased and moved to another gripping position on the pipe.

Another and still very important object of the invention is theprovision of a pipe or chain wrench designed for use in various arts andone in which the parts are eX- tremely simple in construction, easilyassembled, rigid and durable, highly efficient in operation, practicalyet capable of being manufactured at a very low cost whereby itscommercial possibilities are greatly enhanced.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified as longas such changes and modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings 1- Figure 1 is a side view of the pipewrench showing the same in gripping a pipe.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section showing the grippinglug.

Figure 4 is a sectional view'taken on the line l4 of Figure 3. 7

Figure 5 is a further detail taken on the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 shows an end view of the operating lever or handle.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 5' designates a pipeand 6 an operating handle or lever adapted to actuate a flexible memberadaptedto encircle the major portion of the pipe to be turned. In thepresent instance the flexible member above referred to comprises aplurality of links 7, 8, each of which is connected by a pin 9 whichalso passes through the inner connecting links 1O, 11, said pinsupporting a hingedly connected lug 12 disposed between the innerconnecting links 10, 11, as clearly shown by Figure 3. Each of said lugsabove referred to is provided with toothed or serrated gripping surfaces13 which bite into the outer periphery of the pipe at various pointssubstantially throughout the circumferencethereof and thus prevent thechain from slipping about the pipe when it is being turned.

The end links 14: of the chain on each side of the handle or lever 6 areconnected thereto by a pin passing through an aperture 15 in the end ofthe said arm, the rounded reduced extension 16 of which is adapted toengage between certain of the respective links of the flexible member,depending of course on the-size of the pipe to be turned. I

A supporting beam designated in its entirety by the numeral 17 is formedwith upwardly curved arms '18 each of which is provided with a slot 19therein to receive a pin position about 2O andtwo washers 20 connectingcertain of the links. The washers 20 which are arranged between theouter faces of the link and the arms 18 of beam 17 operate as bearingrollers on the pipe (see Fig. l). The supporting beam 17 is bifurcatedto provide arms 21 having apertures 22 therein and adapted to receivethe handle or lever 6, said lever being also provided with an aperture25 so as to align with any one of the apertures 22 of the respectivearms 21 and be sedetail partly in cured thereto by a suitable pinpassing through the respective apertures to maintain the lever in theproper adjusted position.

By reason of the elliptical slots formed in the arms 18 of thesupporting beam 17 it will be readily recognized that when the lever 6is moved upwardly the supporting beam 17 will loosen the flexible chainand thus release the gripping lugs from the pipe 10 permitting the chainto be moved to another position whereupon when the lever 6 is moved inthe reverse direction the chain will tighten around the pipe and thegripping lugs bite into the same and permit the turning of the pipe asdesired; In this manner it will be readily recognized that the pressureon the pipe is distributed at various points substantially throughoutthe circumference thereof as'distinguished from'th'ose implementswherein a single gripping surface is provided in which instancethepressure is had at one point on the periphery of the pipe and frequentlycrushes the same. course since the leverage is equally dis- .tributed onthe periphery of the pipe it will be readily seen that a greaterleverage may be had with an implement of this characterand hence asingle worlnnancan turn a pipe of large dimensions. j In theaccompanying drawings, I have illustrated my invention embodied in oneform by way of example, and which in practice has been found to behighly satisfactory in obtaining the desired results. It will be obvioushowever that other embodiments may be adopted, and that various changesin the details of construction maybe resorted'to'by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit and scope of the 4 invention. 7 Itis furthermore understood that the invention is not necessarily limitedor restricted to the precise elements shown except in so far as suchlimitations are specified in the subject matter being claimed.

' Having shown and described. my invention what I new claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A pipe Wrench of the class described provided with a flexible chaincapable of encircling the major portion of a pipe and composed ofconnected links, a plurality of pipe to be turned.

chain and supporting member" for moving said lugs into grippingengagement with the pipe to be turned.

21A pipe wrench of the class described provided with a'flexible chaincapable of encircling the major portion of a pipe and composed ofconnected links, a pluralityof pivoted lugs provided with serratedgripping faces carried by the links, a supporting member having bentarms and elliptical slots therein looselyattached to the flexible chain,the upper portion of saidsupporting member being bifurcated, anadjustable operating handle connectedto anddisposed between the armsofthe bifurcated supaortin member said flexible chain'bein I r e a 5connected to the end of said operating handle whereby the lugs carriedthereby may be moved into gripping engagement with; and equallydistribute the pressure on the 3. A pipe wrench of the class describedprovided with; a flexible chain capable of encircling the major portionof a pipe, a plurality of pivoted lugs provided with serrated grippingfaces carried by the links, a' 7 supporting member having laterally extending arms with slots therein loosely attached to'the flexible chain,the upper portion of-said supporting member being bifurcated, the armsof said bifurcated portion 7 of the supporting'member having a pluralityof apertures therethrough, an op- I affix my signaturehereto; r

ZAGHARY o. RICHARDSON.

